1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a seating device that helps localized body heat dispersion and pressure reduction, specifically from under testes area of a seated male person.
2. Description of Prior Art
Infertility affects about one of every five couples in the United States (THE MERCK MANUAL-Home Edition, Sec. 22, Ch. 240, 2001). One of the major causes of infertility is sperm problem, which counts for 30 to 40 percent of all infertility cases. It is known that increased testicular temperature causes sperm cell abnormality or death, and will result in lowered fertility if prolonged.
Men who regularly sit for long periods of time (such as office workers, college students, etc.) may have higher temperature around testes due to the fact that seating material blocks body heat dispersion from that area. Pressure between body part and seat base also affects blood or other body system circulation around that area, which may also have an adverse effect on sperm normality.
The problem of infertility related to seating was not recognized in prior art. The closest known prior art was for general seat cooling or heat dispersion. Some have apertures (small holes) in the bottom or back of a seating device. Some others have air duct/channel(s) under the whole seating part, some combine with power fan, air permeable material, or the similar. None of these prior-art approaches intended specifically to disperse body heat or reduce pressure from around testes area of a seated male person. Even for general cooling it is not effective (such as small holes) and is impractical and costly (such as air duck, power system). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,200 to Gregory, et al. (1997) discloses a device for a vehicle seat that can cool the whole seat. However it is neither for localized cooling nor for pressure reduction at the front middle of a seat base. Furthermore it needs an air duct, permeable seating material and conditioned air from a central source in the vehicle, which is not practical for office chairs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,075 to Shih (1995) shows a ventilation device for a chair seat, which has a motor, fan, vent port, and a plurality of air guide plates. It is designed for general seat ventilation, but is neither for localized air circulation nor for pressure reduction at the front middle of a seat base. It is also complicated and costly compared to conventional chairs. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,228 to Green (1979) reveals a seat cushion assembly with some layers specially designed for even pressure distribution. But it is not for pressure elimination especially under the testes area of a seated male person. Furthermore a better fit of the seat cushion assembly (which has a layer of resilient foam material without hole) into the gluteal region of a seated person might well cause the temperature around the testes area to increase because of the lack of direct airflow.